Remus, Interrupted
by TheUnrealInsomniac
Summary: Remus Lupin died during the Battle of Hogwarts. He wasn't supposed to. He is given the chance to fix a tragedy in his past that should never have happened. He hopes to Merlin he's up to the task. NOT SLASH.


A/N: This is just a little plot bunny I've decided to play with. I warn you now, this is an unplanned, unbetaed, unedited, first draft. The entire story is going to be written in that way as this is just a bit of fun.

If you want to read my more serious work, which I sincerely hope you do, please go to my profile page and read the What A Difference A Father Makes series.

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter is the property of J.K. Rowling. I'm just having a laugh with one of my favourite characters.**

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**Remus, Interrupted**

**Prologue**

Remus snarled as he forced himself through the perfectly white wood of what had been a bedroom door.

He came to a sudden stop in the middle of a room that looked eerily familiar but he could place where he knew this room from. It's pristine, white wood furniture didn't answer anything.

'What on earth?' Remus said. Hadn't he been fighting Death Eaters a second ago? Had one of them set a portkey on him?

This wouldn't do. He was supposed to be at Hogwarts, he needed to get out of here. The Order would need him. Harry needed him.

Dora needed him.

Where the hell was he?

Remus burst through door after door trying to find his way out. He crashed through several bedrooms, a bathroom, a sitting room and even a kitchen at one point but he couldn't find the way out.

And what was really bugging him was that he swore he _knew_ this place.

After barging his way through the solid wood of yet another door Remus had to stop to draw breath. This was getting him nowhere and werewolf or not, he was getting tired.

'Where the hell am I?'

Remus slumped down in a nearby armchair. This room was another sitting room. It was almost like the room … or rooms he supposed … knew he was getting tired and felt the need to provide him with some kind of comfort.

He was beginning to doubt a portkey more and more. Especially if he'd been hit by a Death Eater Portkey. He'd probably have wound up in some horrible torture camp or somewhere equally beastly.

That was another thing, he hadn't seen a person yet either. He'd been tearing this place apart for a good hour if he was keeping track of time properly and nobody had come to see what the ruckus was or to subdue him.

That was just weird.

Remus flopped forwards and rested his head in his hands. This was driving him bonkers.

'Well love,' said a pleasant voice he recognised immediately. 'I think if you stopped rampaging through doors long enough to actually look, you'd know that already.'

'Dora!' His head darted up with a big smile. His wife was perched on a pearly white leather sofa opposite him with her big grin and pink hair framing her beautiful heart shaped face.

Remus pulled her into his arms and squeezed.

'Whoa there wolfie!' Tonks gasped. 'Easy on the squeezing, we're dead yes but you can still injure a girl with that werewolf strength.'

'Dead?' Remus pulled back but didn't let go of his wife. 'How can we be dead?'

Dora smiled at him, her hand rose up to rest on his chest. 'Killing curses tend to do that to you Remus. Remember? We were at Hogwarts, fighting for Harry and dear insane Auntie Bella killed me and when you, quite heroically I'm sure, lunged at the bitch … well … Dolohov got you lover.'

Remus growled as the memories of his last moments came rushing back. Yes, he remembered seeing Dora fall, remembered jumping at Bella, her laughter ringing in his ears, with every intention of ripping her Merlin's damned throat out with his teeth before the world went black and he woke up here.

'So … we're dead?' Remus asked. He hugged Dora a little tighter. Her pink hair tickling his stubbly chin. 'What'll happen to Teddy?'

Dora sighed and kissed him. 'Teddy will be fine, he was left with my mum remember? And Harry will take care of him whenever he can. Our boy will be okay.'

'What if Voldemort wins though? And Harry dies?' Remus had visions of his friend's son bleeding out on the crowd at Voldemort's feet. 'We need to get back Dora! There's gotta be a way.'

'Relax Remus, you may as well. We can't return to the battlefield after all.' Dora soothed. Her hand rubbed his cheek. 'Besides Harry will win. You'll make sure of it.'

How on earth was he going to make sure of it? He was dead wasn't he? Hadn't Dora just convinced him that he couldn't get back?

'And how, dead as I am, supposed to help Harry now Dora?' Remus felt his wolf raise ever so slightly. It quickly cowed under his wife's stern gaze.

'Don't get bitey with me wolfie, we may be dead but I can still kick your arse from here to … well … over there I suppose.' Dora pointed over at the door leading to the next room with a sheepish grin. Her anger evaporated as her threat lost weight. 'We really don't have a lot of room here huh?'

'No.' Remus scratched his stubble and sunk back down into his chair, with Dora perching next to him. 'You still haven't told me where we are by the way.'

'The Shrieking Shack,' Dora said simply. 'Just with a lot more white and some very powerful cleaning spells.'

Remus looked around at the furniture more carefully and shook his head. He knew he'd recognised it. 'Why here of all places?'

'It's your mind lover, you tell me.'

Remus growled and pushed away all the painful memories this accursed place represented. 'Fine. So how am I supposed to help Harry then? You did just say I couldn't go back.'

'Oh I never said you couldn't go back, you just can't return to where you've come from.' Dora smirked at him and wiggled her eyebrows at him as she ran a pattern over his chest. 'You're normally much better at paying attention to the finer details than this.'

Remus gave her an exasperated look. 'Really Dora? Flirting now?'

'I will flirt with my man whenever I damn well please thank you very much, besides, arguments could be made that this is all in your head and you in fact are just picturing me flirting with you.' Dora stuck her tongue out at him and gave his backside a light pat. 'So don't blame me.'

Remus groaned and held her hand. He could feel a headache building, he was smart alright but this was starting to get too complicated. 'Alright, fine. Well hallucination or not. You said I was going to help Harry? How exactly?'

'Well, in plain English love, we weren't supposed to die that way. You and I, husband of mine, were supposed to die surrounded by children, grandchildren and loads of much more pleasant things than my twisted excuse for an aunt and a maniac.' Dora pouted as she spoke and flapped her arms in annoyance like a child who didn't get her way. 'We were cheated wolfie, so you're getting sent back to fix whatever cock up was made.'

Cock up? What cock up? Did she mean James and Lily's death? Cus Remus would certainly call that the mother of all cock ups.

'Just me?' Remus asked, his grip on Dora's hand got a little tighter. 'You're not coming with me?'

Dora smiled sadly at him and kissed him on the cheek. 'No, I'm sorry Remus. Just you.'

'Oh.' He'd be alone again then. With memories of his wife and his son. Merlin, he'd probably even spend time around little Dora and feel immensely creepy when he pictured the woman she would become. No, he didn't want to go. He wanted to stay with his wife. Hadn't he earned his happiness? Maybe Harry would win on his own?

'You won't be alone Remus.' Dora stroked his hand and smiled that most beautiful smile that she'd given him when he told her why he was afraid to have children with her. That accepting, loving and understanding smile that made him feel more loved than any words could have ever managed.

'Do you know when I'm being sent back to?' Remus asked. Maybe if it was late enough he could start straight on his relationship with Dora? He could get back those years he shouldn't have waited to be with her. 'Any clue?'

'No Remus,' Dora said sadly. 'Just that it's in the past and that you have to stop some big mistake. I'm sorry.'

'Have I got to go?' Remus asked in a small voice. Who knew when he'd find himself. With no clues and nothing to go on, what if he had to live through his childhood again? That'd be heartbreaking and frustrating beyond belief.

'You don't have to Remus,' Dora said slowly. 'This is only a waiting room. If you really don't want to go we'll go … well if you'll forgive the dramatics …'

'Says the woman with pink hair.'

'Shush you,' Dora said, swatting him on the arm. 'As I was saying … if you decide not to go back you'll go on. To the next adventure as Albus put it. Wherever that'll lead you.'

Remus frowned. So it was his choice. Go to the after life and be reunited with his family, his dead friends, his parents and his wife and maybe be joined by everyone he'd left behind … but what if Teddy came to join them and he was only a boy … could he really leave a world behind that could be hell for his son?

No. He couldn't.

He hated himself, he closed his eyes and forced himself to speak. 'What do I do to go back then?'

He felt Dora's lips brush against his and kissed back fiercely, his arms wrapped around his wife instinctively as the kiss deepened.

'You wonderful man, you beautiful, noble man.' Dora's voice croaked against his ear. 'I knew you'd do it. I just knew you'd go back to save them all. I love you so much Remus.'

'And I love you.' His voice caught in his throat and Remus blinked away the building tears as Dora's teary face hovered in front of him. 'How do I go back?'

Dora stood and Remus followed. He would go back, but he refused to let go of her hand until he absolutely had to.

A door formed in the middle of the room. Dora reached out to the golden doorknob and turned it.

The door flew open and warm light shone through where the rest of the room should've been.

'Dora, what is that?' Remus said. He squinted at it but he couldn't make it out. 'It's too bright.'

'That's your way back Remus.' Dora hugged his side tightly. 'You just have to walk through.'

'That'll take me back where I need to go?' Remus asked. 'Just like that?'

Dora winced. 'Not quite no. I'm told it'll hurt.'

Remus laughed harshly. 'Of course it will.'

'I'm sorry Remus.' Dora walked towards the door and Remus fell in step willingly. 'If I could stop the hurting … or come with you … you know I would.'

They were very close to the door now. They were bathing in the light at this point.

'Will I see you when I'm done?' Remus asked as the back of his throat started to burn.

'You'll see me.' Dora pulled him down for one last kiss and nipped his lip as he pulled away. 'Do me a favour though wolfie?'

Remus chuckled at the playfulness in his wife's eyes. This is how he wanted to remember her. Mischievous. 'Anything.'

'If you do wind up back somewhere before you got your head out of your arse and asked me out … do it sooner this time?' Dora's grin was impish. She winked. 'I'll have more tricks for you if you get me when I'm seventeen.'

'I'll try Dora.' Remus blushed furiously. Merlin, how did she still manage to turn him into a schoolboy being flirted with by a pretty girl for the first time?

'Rock my world wolfie.' Dora blew him a kiss and waved.

Remus walked into the light with the image of the woman he loved giving him a flirty smile burned into his brain.

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Well, that's it, hope you enjoyed it.

I've genuinely not got the foggiest of ideas where this is going. If you're coming with me on this ride I wish you good luck.

Gimme reviews.

All the best

TUI


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